Revivifying process for carbons



Patented Fein l, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRED BA. ARENTZ, OF BAL'IMORE, MARYLAD, ASSIGNOR T0' U. S. INDUSTRIALALCOHOL CO., A CORPORATION OIF WEST VIRGINIA.

REVIVIFYING PROCESS FOR CARBONS.

Application filed October 25, 1924. Serial No. 745,755.

My invention relates particularly to a process of revivifying absorbentmaterlals which have been used in the purification of ethylene but ithas relation especially to the revivification of carbon of variouskinds, and more particularly activated charcoal which has been used forthe purification of ethylene.

The object of my invention is to provide a l0l process whereby absorbentmaterials of various kinds which have been used inthe purification ofethylene, may be revlvlfied and made suitable for use rfover again. The'.absorbent materials treated in accordance with my process may be ofvarious kinds but my invention relates more particularly to thetreatment of carbon, and especially activated carbon, in this way. y

The object is to bring about the revivification by the use of gaseswhich' will not be dangerous in the presence of inflammable materials.Another object is to avoid the use of direct heat for the same reason.

Still another object is to carry out the process economically by usinglow temperatures therein.

A further object is to conduct the process in a minimum period of timeso as to use the materials to the best advantage therein.

Further objects of my invention will appear from the detaileddescription thereof contained hereinafter.

While my invention is capable of being carried out in many differentways, for the purpose of illustration I shall describe only certain waysof carrying out the same hereinafter, and while it is capable of beingcarried out inl connection with many different types of apparatus I haveshown only one 4.o type of apparatus for use in connection therewith inthe accompanying drawing, in

which- The figure in a diagrammatic vertical sec-` tion of an apparatuswhich may be used in Iv accordance with my invention. y

In carrying out my invention, as above indicated, I may revivifyabsorbent materials of` various kinds which have been usedl inconnection with the purification of ethylene,

` so as to thus enable them to be used over again. By way ofillustration f shall describe in detail one way of carrying out myinvention relating to the revlvification of activated carbon which hasbeen used for the purification lof ethylene.

The activated carbon utilized in my process may be the kind of carbonreferred to in detail in the application of Arthur A. Backhaus uponprocess of purifying carbon dioxide advantageously, Serial No. 710,975,filed May 5, 1924:; or the activated carbon maybe made in any suitableway as desired. For example, however, the activated carbon may be ahighly absorptive carbon or charcoal capable of absorbing substantiallyall the impurities in the ethylene and which may be made by any knownprocess such as by the heat treatment or vsteam activation process, orachemical treatment such as to render the carbon activated. Suchactivated carbon may be made from cocoanut shell carbon or carbonproduced by carbonizing the shells of pits of many other kinds of nutsor by carbonizing wood, and then activating the same. An activatedcarbon which may be used may be, for example, the

accordance with any of the known coking Y processes and then subjectingthe coke in granulated or finely divided form to theaction of steam or-air at a temperature of from 7 00o C. to 12000 C. fora period ofseveral hours.

The activated carbon used in the purification of ethylene will removethe impurities therefrom, such, for example, as ether, water, alcohol,etc., and these impurities will accumulate to 'such an extent in thecarbon that finally the effectiveness of thev carbon will be greatlyimpaired or altogether prevented by the presence of the same.

Accordingly, in carrying out my process `the activated carbon l, whilestill located in I the same position in which it has been used for thepurification of the ethylene,-that is to say in tubes 2, enclosed in acontainer 3, having a pressure gauge 3a, and supported by transverseperforated plates 4: and 5, is rst preferably heated up by the admissionof high pressure steam having a, temperature of to 185 C. and a pressureof from 25 to 150 lbs. per sq. in., through a valved inlet pipe 6leading to a space 7 which surrounds the tubes 2. By heating up thematerials in this way the process of revivification is hastened. Whenthe temperature around the tubes I2 has reached from 100 to 185 C., livesteam, having a. temperature of approximately 100 C., is then introducedby means of a valved pipe 8 into a space 9 apparatus through a valvedoutlet pipe 11,

any condensed water passing out through a drain 11a. By passing the livesteam into the activated carbon which has been heated l by thesurrounding high pressure steam, the Y live steam becomes superlieatedto some extent. The use of superheated steam in .this Way is preferableas it facilitates revivification by preventin` condensation andobviating the filling of the pores with water during the treatment, sothat the subsequent drying of the carbon can be readily eiected. Thistreatment is continued until subste ntially all the impurities containedin the carbon have, been'removed therefrom, the temperature of the sameranging generally from 100 to 175 C. during the treatment and the 12 to15 hours. The live steam inlet pipe 8 is then closed and pure carbon'dioxidewhich be at atmospheric temperature but prefma erablyheatedto atemperature of from u to 150 C., is admitted by'means of a pi e 12 so asto drive the live steam out of t e apparatus and out ofthe activatedcarbon, the steam passing out by pipe 11. The introduction of purecarbon,dioxidein this rWay is continued. usually for from 4 to 5 hours,that is to say until the steam hasl been entirely-'displaced and thecarbon has been completely dried. The pipe 6Jis -then closed and thehigh pressure steam is then allowed to escape fromA the' apparatusthrough avalved pipe 13. The carbon isl v then allowed to cool in thepresence ofthe atmosphere/.of carbon 'dioxide contained cold water maybe admitted to the surrounding space through a valvedpipe 14, theetlluent water being allowed to pass out through thepipe 13. Theactivated charcoal isjthen ready lfor use over again in the purificationrocessjfforother purification processes vas esired. ITIn thepurification process the ethylene` enters by the'pipe'15 andpasses Outby the-pipe 16. It will thus be seen that byacon'du'ctingthe process inthis way danger due to direct heat` 1s avoided and consequentlyithe-process ma `be used even where inliammable vmateria may bepresent inconnectionlwith or inthe neighborhood of the apparatus as, for example,ethylene. Furthermore, labor and losses involved in removing the' carbonfor revivication to aplace .cfutside` of the apparatus areavoide Variousmodifications 'of the may ,be introduced, if desired, without departingfrom the spirit of my invention. For example, in place of the carbondioxide, other inert gases might be used, as, for instance, nitrogen,hydrogen, helium, to drive` the steam out of the apparatus.

I claim:

1. The process which comprises revivfying an absorbent material used inthe purifications of ethylene by applying live steam thereto and thenremoving any residual condensed and' uncondensed steam by applying agaseous non-supporter of combustion thereto, in sucha manner as toremove odorous impurities therefrom and .restore its capabilltyof'removing such odorous impurities.

2. The process which comprises revivifying an activated carbon used inthe puriica- -tion of ethylene by applying live steam thereto and thenremoving any residual con'- y 'bility of removing such odorousimpurities. treatment in this way usually requiring from p 3. Theprocess which comprises revivifying an absorbent material used in thepurii-,

ECI

cation of ethylene by applying live steam Y ing an activated carbon usedin the purification of ethylene by applying live steam thereto, thenremoving any -residual condensed and uncondensed steam .by applyingloisl a gaseous non-supporter of combustion thereto, and then allowingthe same to cool fin an atmosphere of carbon dioxide, in such a manneras to remove odorous impurtis therefrom and restore its capabillty ofremovin such odorous impurities.

' 5. T e process which comprises revivifying an absorbent materialmsedin the purifcationfof ethylene by applying live steamthereto and thenremoving any residual condensed and uncondensed steam by applyingcarbon-,dioiride'there'to,- in sucha manner as tol remove odorousimpurities therefrom and,V restore its capabllityof removing suchodorous 1m uritles.

6. e'fprocessl which comprises reviviying an actlvated carbon used inthepurificadensed and uncondensed steam by applying restore its capabilityofremovingsuch odorousimpuritles.

tion of ethylene' by applyinglive steam thereto and then'removing vanyresidual con-Y Leiders 7. The process which comprises revivifying anabsorbent material used in the puricaton of ethyleneby applying livesteam thereto, then removing any residual' condensed and uncondensedsteam by a plying carbon dioxide thereto, and then a lowing the same tocool`in an atmosphere of carbon` dioxide, in such a. manner as to removeodorous impurities therefrom and restore its capability of removing suchodorous impurities.

8. The process which comprises revivify# ing an activated carbon used inthe purification of ethylene by` applying live steam there-to,thenremovingI anyresidual condensed and uncondensed steam by applyingcarbon dioxide thereto, and then allowing the same to \cool in anatmosphere of carbon dioxide, in such a manner as to removeodoraccompanied by indirect heat thereto andthen removing any residuallcondensed and uncondensed steam by applying'carbon dif oxide thereto,in such a manner as to re- 40 move odorous impurities therefrom andrestore its .capability of removing such odor-- ous im urities.

`11. ie process which comprises revivifying an absorbent material usedin tliepurification of ethylene by applyinr live; steam accompanied byindirect heat thereto, then removing any residual condensed anduncondensed steam by a plying carbon dioxide thereto, and then alowingthe same to coolA 5o in an atmosphere ,.of carbon dioxide in such amanner 4as to remove odorous impurities therefrom and store itscapability of re-l moving such od rous impurities.

12. The process which comprises revivifying an activated carbon usedinthe purification of ethylene by applying livesteam ac vcompanied byindirect heat thereto, then -removingany residual condensed anduncondensed steam by applying carbon dioxide jin an atmosphere of carbondioxide, in such aiman'neras to remove odorous impurities ous impuritiestherefrom and restore its ca? thereto,and then al owing the same tocool`4 therefrom and restore its capability of removing sucli odorousimpurities.

13. The process which` comprises revivify-` ing an activated carbon usedin the purification of ethylene by applying indirect heat to the same ata temperature belowa red heat accompanied by live steam, the indirectheatbeing of a higher tempei'ature than the 70 live steam, and thenremoving any condensed andv uncondensed vmoisture by appl ing thereto agaseous nonsupporter of com 11s-l t-ion, in such a manner as to removethe odorous impurities therefrom to restore its capability 'of removingsuch odorous impurities.'

lll. The process which comprises revivifying an activated carbon used inthepurifcation of ethylene by applying live steam 'thereto and thenremoving any residual condensed and' uncondensed. steam by applying# agaseous non-supporter of combustion thereto, in such a manner astoremove the odorous impurities therefrom tivated state thereto.

15. The process which comprises revivifying an activated carbon used inthe purification of ethylene by applying live steam thereto, thenremoving` any residual condensed and uncondensed steaml by applying agaseous non-supporter of combustion thereto, and then allowing the sameto cool in an atmosphere of carbon dioxide, in such a manner as toremove the odorous im-v purities therefrom and restore the activatedstate thereto.

16. The process which comprises revivifying an activated carbon used inthe -puri ica'tion of 4ethylene by applying live steam accompanied byindirect heat thereto and then removing any residual condensed anduncondensed steam by applying carbon di# oxide. thereto, in such amanner as to remove the odorous. impurities therefrom and restore itscapability of removing such odor- Aous impurities and restore theactivated state theret A 17. The process which comprises revivifying anactivated carbon used in the purification of ethylene by applyin livesteam and restore the ac- 85 `iin accompanied by indirect heat tiereto,then removing any residual condensed and uncon-t densed steam byapplying'carbon dioxide thereto, and then allowing ther same to cool,lllI in -an atmosphere of lcarbon dioxide, in such a manner as to removethe odorous im- .purities therefrom and restore its capability ofremovingv suchv odorous impurities and restore the activatedstatethereto. y I

-In testimony that I claim thel foregoing,

I have hereunto set myhand this 17 day of October, 1924. t

FRED ARENTZ.

